Wells Street Journal: Conservative MP in jammy dodger bribery scandal

Treasury select committee member Jesse Norman is under investigation by police over suggestions he attempted to bribe voters in his constituency of Hereford and South Herefordshire with jammy dodgers.

West Mercia Police have confirmed that Norman, who won the seat for the Conservatives in 2010, is under scrutiny after photos emerged of the parliamentary candidate campaigning at a local supermarket with a box of chocolate muffins and some cherry Bakewells.

Norman has made light of the incident, tweeting earlier this week: “#CakeGate: is it all Much A-dough about Muffin?”

He is the second MP to be investigated over charges of using baked goods to bribe his voters, after police probed Southampton Itchen Ukip candidate Kim Rose over allegations relating to sausage rolls and jaffa cakes.

Rose has been told by police he will face no further action.

Strict election rules bar “treating”, which could be seen as inducing voters to cast their ballots one way or another.

Police have yet to respond to requests for comment on whether Prime Minister David Cameron faces similar concerns over his ongoing attempts to woo the elderly.

After installing pension freedom, caps on the cost of care and expanding the issuance of pensioner bonds ahead of the election, rumours abound that the Prime Minister has been spotted lingering near retirement homes with a large bag of Werthers Originals.

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